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Locality: Pulaski County

File Name: Pulaski Survey 20210902




ObserversJoshua Pratt, Kathy Meckley
Date of interview09/02/2021
Time and date of initial call and email:08/30/2021
Time and date of response:09/02/2021
Did the registrar refuse to meet you:No
If yes, please provide the reason given for not meeting:
Survey Answers
1. What is your biggest concern about the upcoming election?Misinformation, ballot on internet, third party information - passed away
2. Any other major concerns?
3. Do you feel like you have the resources, equipment, personnel, and training needed to run an effective election in November?Yes
3a. Any additional information?Follow up. Yes to parity see #6
4. If no, what is missing?
5. The county election board is supposed to consist of 2 Democrats and a Republican under a Democrat governor, but in some areas, boards have had trouble finding willing Republicans and have appointed an Independent instead, or another Democrat. What is the situation in this county?2D+R
6. What about precinct staff? Are you able to have equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans?Yes
6a. Provide Details
7. Is the county Board of Elections engaged in your work year-round, or mostly near elections?Yearly
7a. Any additional information?24 yrs registrar, 2003 electoral board member
8. When was the last audit of the voter file in your county?2021-06-01 00:00:00
8a. No. of days since last audit:
8b. Any additional information?Approx 300 scrubbed
9a. Does the Health Department send a list of deceased people to your office every month so they can be removed from the voter roll?Refused
9b. If no, how often do they send a list?Dept. of elections notified through VERIS
10. When was the last time the Clerk of Courts submitted a list of individuals who declined to serve on jury duty on the basis of being a non-citizen?
10a. Any additional information?Not a report
Record date and other list(s), if relevantNot a report
11. When was the last time you had access to the National Change of Address List or any other change of address list?
Other list(s):VERIS
12a. Are you confident that the voter file is accurate and up to date?Yes
12b. If no, what is/are your main concern(s) about the list?We work on that everyday
13. How many households in your locality have more than 7 individuals registered at the same address? Number:I have no idea. I have no way to do that.
14. During registration, how do you verify that voters are citizens?DMV - to get application (purgery) Felony. I have not put any thought to that
15. There are three types of voting machines used in Virginia. Can you tell me which machines you use?Elections Systems & Software
16. Who calibrates the voting machines, and can you please explain the process?L&A with the election board. Early voting had the L&A completed to date
17. Do you invite party representatives to witness the calibration?Yes
17a. Any additional information?
18a. Are voting machines ever connected to the internet?No
18b. If they are not connected to the internet, how and when are they updated?Election Systems software update yearly maintenance
19. As an election professional, do you think the changes made in the election process in Virginia in response to COVID have weakened election integrity, strengthened election integrity, or made no change in election integrity?No change
19a. Any additional information?I do not think it was effected
20a. Did you receive any funding or in-kind contributions for training, staff, voter education or equipment, or any other purpose from outside the state of Virginia?Yes
20b. If yes, what was the funding or contribution used for?CARES act - extra equipment mailings
21. Effective Jul 1, 2021, Senate Bill 1097, eliminated requirements for voters to have a witness signature on absentee ballots for any election during a declared state of emergency. The Governor has now rescinded the state of emergency. How are you training your staff to ensure that there is a signature match for the upcoming elections?Never really been able to match the witness signature
22. There is a lot of concern in Virginia and across the country about the security and integrity of the ballot drop boxes. What are the chain of custody procedures for ballot drop boxes?Office / Video. Allow daily review / follow up - Yes would have to check with state
23. Was there any time during the last election cycle when your drop boxes did not have video monitoring?No
23a. Any additional information?
24. Who is responsible for reviewing the video?Registrar, Electoral Board, guidance by state
24b. Were party observers present during the review?Yes
25. Would you provide training and support, or designate us to provide training and support, for an election day page program as described in 24.2-604.3?Refused
25a. Any additional information?We have not had a need for that
26. Would you authorize non-partisan election observers with the same rights as party representatives; as described in 24.2-604.5 A?No
26a. Any additional information?
27. Would you authorize international non-partisan observers from recognized election monitoring organizations?No
27a. Any additional information?
28. Have your local party chairs been notified that they are entitled to send observers to your office each day it is open and receiving in-person absentee ballots?No
28a. Any additional information?I have not solicited
29a. Do you have a publication that you provide to your election officials regarding rights and responsibilities of observers?Yes
29b. If no, would you be willing to distribute such a publication that we would prepare based on Virginia law?Yes
30. Question – Please characterize your interaction with the Registrar asHelpful Polite




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